Telephone-switchboard cable.



W. L. RUNZEL. TELEPHONE SWITOHBOARD CABLE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 8, 1907.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

Wu i?? I-IElTl UnzEl cmnegp UNITED s'rATns PA TlENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM -L. RUNZEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RUlNZEL-LENZELECTRIC MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS TELEPHONE-SWITCHBOARD CABLE.

To all whom it may concern:

citizen of the United States, residing at hicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and use-- fulImprovement in Telephone-Switchboard Cables, of which the following is afull, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electrical cables, more particularly to cablesthat are employed in telephone switchboards.

When telephone switchboard cables as, heretofore constructed wereemployed, the rear of the switchboard where the cables are connectedwith the electrical devices, for instance the spring-jacks, became soconfused and confounded, that it was only with the utmost diiiicultythat the cables could be identified with the s ring-jacks with whichthey were connected; and the spring-jacks reached in case of thenecessity of inspection or repair. As is well known, it is usual toextend the cables lengthwise of the springjack banks, a single cablebeing employed for each horizontal row of springjacks, the cables ofcourse being fanned out as is usual, in order that the electricalconductors might be properly connected to their correspondingspring-jacks. Telephone switchboard cables of the prior art were,however, cylindrical in form, and were necessarily, on account of thenumber of conductors, of greater diameter than the thickness of thespring-jack. When the cables were, there ore, disposed to the rear ofthe spring-jacks, a single cable,

being employed for each horizontal row, the result was that the cablespiled up to a greater height than the spring-jacks, completely hidingand covering the spring-jacks and preventing access thereto by anyordinary or convenient means.

It is the object of my invention to over n come this difficulty, and itprovides a telephone switchboard cable of such construe-- tion that thecombined height of allthe cables will be approximately equal to theheight of the s ring-jack banks,iwhereby each cable will e dis oseddirectly to the rear of the spring-jac-c row with which its conductorsare connected. Such an arrangement, it is evident would facilitate readyidentification of the cable with its associated spring-jack row, andwould permit of ready Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 8, 1907.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Serial No. 361,273.

access to the desired spring-jacks. My in- Beit known that l, VIILLIAML. RUNZEL,

posed side by side, and are covered by a suitable protecting sheath,means being also provided for preventing distortion or disarrangement ofthe entire cable.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is a plan view, parts beingbroken awayand shown in section; Fig. 2, is an enlarged cross sectionalview, on line 22 of Fig.1; Fig. 3, is a cross sectional view, similar tothat of Fig. 2, but showing a slightly modified arrangement.

The entire cable is composed of the individual cables 4-, 4', which arecylindrical in form, and which may be composed of any suitable number ofelectrical conductors 5, 5, which are properly insulated from eachother, and as aunit by the insulating material 6.' The cable units, asthey may conveniently be called, are disposed side by side as clearlyshown in the drawings, and are then suitably bound together andprotected by a sheath 7, which may be of insulating material. tain thisshape and. proportion, the sheath may be held togetherat one or moreintermediate points 111 any suitable manner; for instance the upper andlower walls of the sheath may be sewed together at suitable intervalsbetween the ca le units,- asindicated at 8, 8. In order that in sewing,the stitches may not pass through the 'cable units, whereby theelectrical conductors or their insulation may be subjected to in]u ry ormutilation, a separator 9, of suitable material for instance cotton orsimilar substance may be provided between the cable units, through whichthe stitches 8, 8, may pass. It is thus seen that the cable will retainits proper shape and proportion, any tendency or it to bunch up orchange lts shape being entirely overcome. The sheath may be In orderthat the cable may reintermediate oint, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or itmay e Stitched and supports provided at each interval between the cableunits, It is evident of course, that any reasonable number of such cableunits could be em loyed, the sheath therefor being stitche at sufficientintervals to maintain thecable in. its proper condition.

As the lateral space in the switchboard to the rear of the spring-jacksis not limited as it ,is vertically, this construction will .be foundentirely practicable, and I thus provide a cable which may be employedin telephone switchboards, and which is so constructed that when inposition and properly connected with the spring-jacks the combinedheight of the cables will be no greater than that of the entirespring-jack section, each cable being disposed directly to the rear ofthe spring-jack with which it is electrically connected.

W hile I have herein shown and described but one general embodiment ofmy invention, itis evident that changes and modifications could be madeby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scopethereof. I do not wish therefore to be limited to the preciseconstruction herein shown.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-.

ters Patent:

1. A cable composed of a plurality of cable units disposed with theiraxes in the same posite walls of the sheath being sewed together, and aseparator through which the stitches may pass.

2. A cable com osed of a plurality of cable units dISPOSGd'W'lfll theiraxes in the same plane, an inclosing sheath therefor and spacers betweenthe cable units, the opposite walls of said sheath being sewed together,the stitches passing through said spacers.

3. A cable composed of a plurality of cable units disposedwlth-their'axes in the same plane, an inclosing sheath therefor, aseparator distinct from the sheath for maintain ing the opposite wallsof the sheath a pro er distance apart and for preventing the ca le unitsfrom coming together, and stitches through the sheath and separator forretaining said sheath and separator in position around the cable units.

4. A cable composed of a plurality of cable units disposed w1th theiraxes in the same plane, an inclosing sheath therefor, and separatespacers between the cable units, the oppo itewalls of said sheath-beingsewed toget er, the stitches passing through said spacers.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day ofFebruary A. D., 1907. i

v WILLIAM L. RUNZEL.

Witnesses: ARTHUR H. BOETTCHER, LEONARD W. NOVANDER.

